Joe Root and the Elusive Ashes Century
Gareth Bland
The nature of top-level sport suggests that perhaps Joe Root’s betterment of Sir Alastair Cook’s England Test record will lead many pundits to turn their attention to the Yorkshireman’s Achilles heel at Test level. In particular, the skeptics are concerned, it is the Australian-born maestro’s record in Dore himself. Over 34 Tests in Australia, Root’s record total of 40.46 includes a 14-match average of 35.68, which he is yet to score a century. Root’s record from other established Test playing nations – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – is an enviable and unquestionable statistical proof of class.
The focus on Joe Root’s record against Australia is a natural consequence of the intense Ashes rivalry. However, compared to the record held by one of his “Big Four” clubmates in Ken Williamson, the relative blemish on Root’s track record seems smaller than it appears.
Root’s current review is part of a year-long sabra-rattling ahead of another Anglo-Australian clash, which begins in November 2025. Former Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann and – to no one’s surprise – Ian Chappell, a man who rarely falls short. Cricket Commentary, Weighed in on Root. Lehmann said Root should not be considered an all-time great as he is yet to score a Test ton in Australia and rates the Yorkshireman below Williamson and Virat Kohli. Chappelli, for his part, was full of praise for the former England captain.Ruth was born to run. It’s fun to watch him balance solid technique with a desire to explain everything at every opportunity.He said.
Technically, however, Chappell sees a flaw in Root’s arsenal as the reason for his false record on Australian pitches.A more alarming statistic in Australia is the number of times they are held back. Keepers had a bonanza as they caught Root’s edges ten times in 27 innings. Although he responded that “you’ve got to be good to screw them up”, he suggests Australia needs to reassess its extra transfer routes.
Lacking centuries, it should be noted that Root has created nine half-centuries against the Australians. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root’s overall record against the Aussies is superior – 40.46 against an average of 36.95 for New Zealand. Williamson’s record against India is very low, with an average of 37.86 in 20 runs, lower than Root’s 58.03.
Having fought against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Kiwi has the statistical edge over the Yorkshireman. However, averages of 62.82 for Williamson’s South Africa and 46.53 for England against the same opposition do not exactly embarrass Root. They do not make direct comparisons with Pakistan (66.04 and 49.34), Sri Lanka (74.02 and 62.54) and West Indies (60.62 and 56.03).
Williamson has a definite edge over the Australians as he has amassed hundreds of Tests. Regarding Root’s adaptability to Ian Chappell’s idea, the New Zealander, on the other hand, is known to have a different approach than his peers. Williamson’s opening move, eliminating an inflated lunge, was not yet defined by his contemporaries. The key is the ability to play the ball late.
Ricky Ponting said WilliamsonHe will not make great strides in the future.“And he.”He plays the ball later than anyone elseHe said. Former England captain Nasser Hussain assessed Williamson’s technical ability and noted economy of movement, hand placement and footwork as the basis of his success. Hussain advances the imaginary “box” theory.Imagine you have a box around your waist height and below. If you take your hands out of that box, you’re playing the ball early. If you can keep it in your box, you’re playing late.
He argued that hands placed outside the imaginary “box” also increased the chances of following the ball outside the off-stump and increased the chances of a guard and slip. Hussain had little doubt that this jam contributed to Kane Williamson’s success. Perhaps a similar adjustment made at the root on Australian wickets will pay dividends and prove Chappelle’s view that the Englishman needs to reassess his frequency on those surfaces.
It was Ian Chappell’s much-lauded technique that would deliver a much-wanted Ashes century for Joe Root. It is a technique that has been shaped in the modern era, but it starts from the very first principles and has produced some of the greatest batting technicians in the history of the game with the original Yorkshire sod effect. When Neville Cardus described Sir Leonard Hutton as a man who played with “Design in his mind” Nearly 70 years later, Joe Root can easily describe it.
Stylistically, the Roots Yorkshire line of cricket is evident in everything from the light creases on the bat handle to the different foot stances and the balance on the balls of the feet is admirable by Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself. Alert, side-to-side and able to transition to the back and front foot with ease, Root displays a classism that stretches back to Hutton and Sutcliffe, although Boycott, Bill Atey and now Harry Brooke, this technique is more common. His country of birth.
Looking at Mike Gatting’s picture of England in Australia during their triumphant tour in 1986/87, the resemblance between Ate and Ruth is striking. Certainly, Root’s gifts are of a refined nature in contrast to Atey’s narrower approach, but the quintessential Yorkshire bowler, footwork and positioning bear the stamp of the White Rose County.
Like Williamson, Root is busy at the crease and his new strokeplay indicates a player who has thrived in the multi-format cricket landscape. The breath-taking classical strokes of the once so familiar early stories of Roth Englishmen such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower may not be at the forefront of the show. Instead, Roth’s audience marvels at the ramp’s deployment and reversal. It’s hard to imagine either streak being attempted by its predecessors, though the pioneering Dexter added such shots to its range.
Joe Root is England’s best modern player and a titan of the current competitive landscape. The difference between his overall record and his figures against Australia is certainly tangible, if not, Ian Botham’s record against the West Indies and his success against the rest. If Yorkshire come under Ian Chappell’s watch next summer, perhaps their wait for a century to test their old foe will be over. In a week where Root and Yorkshireman Harry Brook have topped the men’s ICC Test rankings, followers will note that this modern batting great still has a lot left in the tank and, perhaps, a bit to prove.
